Originally from the Bay Area but have lived in New York City for the past 25+ years.

I have a loan on mine (pulled out a cash out refi during COVID and used money to help pay for renovation to Bay Area rental).

  ( 250 investors 50 mil) all loans were fractionalized ( this was Oakland CA and Bay Area loans) I could legally do those as a CA RE Broker. 

My rental properties in the Bay Area aren't in a fire zone but I live in a fire zone.

This is a good question.I found that meetups are kind of like you described not much really happens there and for sure REIAs and their monthly meeting kind of the same people talking about the same thing then bring in ( at least what i have seen with the PDX reia) folks that are presenting on things that worked decades ago.. and want to sell their stuff for a few grand.For me personally the best networking hands down was SF Bay Area events  San Jose Reiaand LA  FIBI events.folks in those markets are very real estate centric and generally more experienced and in San Jose so many tech folks that have done really really well.. maybe not in RE but have done great in TECH and have quite a bit of bandwidth for investments..

LTR could get $3200-3400.3-just purchased in August a townhouse in Costa Mesa California 3 miles from the beach walking distance from the back bay great location.

My brother and sister live right outside the Revere and Back Bay area! 

In The Tampa Bay Area local investor in the items inside the home/business but looking to get with the right people to build a team.

I lived in the Bay Area, went to school in Santa Barbara, and decided to live and invest in Reno, NV. 

Dan, we are in the Chicago area industrial sector, albeit in the flex, small-bay arena.